FIFA to elect new president in February; Blatter to stay until then

The FIFA presidential election to replace Sepp Blatter will take place on February 26 next year.

VALERIANO DI DOMENICO/AFP/Getty Images

FIFA has announced it will hold a special congress to elect Sepp Blatter’s successor on February 26 next year – meaning he is set to remain in power for another seven months.

An extraordinary meeting of FIFA’s executive committee decided on the date of the election despite UEFA members having pushed for an earlier date.

Candidates for the position will have to be nominated before October 26 – UEFA president Michel Platini has emerged as the favourite after being urged to run by four of the six FIFA confederations.

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Blatter announced on June 2 that he will step down as president, four days after being re-elected for a fifth term in office, after the corruption crisis that engulfed FIFA.

US justice authorities have indicted 18 people on football-related corruption charges while Swiss prosecutors have launched a separate investigation into bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups being hosted by Russia and Qatar respectively.

Former FIFA executive committee member Chuck Blazer has pleaded guilty to corruption charges including accepting bribes to vote for South Africa to host the 2010 World Cup.